Feature by Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, Jan. 11, –The once
frightening HIV and AIDs epidemic which ravaged its victims beyond recognition
and sent them to their early grave is no longer scary as it used to be
especially with the emergence of the epidemic in the 1980s.
In those days, where there was no
proper diagnosis, government policy and support structure both at home and
hospitals affected, individuals were left to their fate and hundreds of people
died painful deaths.
Thanks to research bodies
including the World Health Organisation and the UNAIDS, lots of medical strives
have been achieved in the fight against the epidemic with the introduction of
antiretroviral (ART) and other prophylaxis which help in managing the disease
condition, avoid spread and new infections.
The UNAIDS estimates that
expanding ART to all people living with the HIV and expanding prevention
choices could help avert 21 million AIDs related deaths and 28 million new
infections by 2030.
Meanwhile, the WHO recommended a
“zero drug stock-outs” in 37 fast track countries including; Ghana where the
disease continued to be a major public health issue.
In Ghana, the HIV fact sheet 2016
by the Ghana AIDS Commission estimated annual deaths of 15,116 for people
around 15 years and above 83 per cent and 2, 531 for children from 0 -14
accounting for 17 per cent.
In the interim, an estimated ART
therapy coverage for adults was 37 per cent and children 0-14 living with HIV
15 per cent with estimated national prevalence at 1.6 per cent.
This is why it is critical to
ensure an uninterrupted access to life-long treatment, continuous supply,
availability and accessibility of HIV and AIDS commodities as one key strategy
to achieve the fast track target of 90-90-90 by 2020 target to help end the
AIDs epidemic.
By 2020, 90 per cent of all
persons living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90 percent who know their
status will receive sustained ART therapy and 90 percent on ART therapy will
receive suppressed viral load.
Ms. Cecilia Oduro, Executive
Director of Life Relief Foundation, a NGO into HIV and AIDs recently said, “IT
will be impossible to end the epidemic without bringing HIV treatment to all
who need it”.
Giving a national estimates on
new infections in 2016 she revealed that 293,804 people were living with HIV
while new infections stand at 20,418.
In the Western Region, HIV
prevalence has been erratic over the years, while it was 3.2 percent in 2007,
the region recorded 2.9 in 2008, with 3.1 in 2009, whiles 2010 recorded
2.5 the year 2011 saw 1.9 percent,
with 2014 reporting 2.4
percent with 2015 recording 2.0 percent
and 2.5 in 2016.
The number of HIV positive
clients were 2, 026 in 2014. With 2, 106
recorded in 2015 and 4779 in 2016 with those receiving clinical care within the
same period were 1844, in 2014, with 1484 in the year 2015 and 1,699 in 2016.
Meanwhile, those on ARVs stood at
1172, in 2014 and 1358 in 2015 and 1577 in 2016 within the year frame.
“This is why I believe
strengthening the availability and accessibility of HIV commodities in the
country and the Western Region in particular aside the treat all policy was
critical, we need the drugs and a coordinated effort to stemming the tide of
this public health and socio-economic challenge.”
The Life Relief Foundation,
through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDs Relief (PEPFAR) expressing concern about ARVs and HIV commodities shortage and
advocating the need to revamp supply and other support systems to suppressing
the disease.
The PEPFAR has saved and improved
millions of lives, accelerating progress toward controlling and ultimately
ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat.
To this wise, a Civil Society
Advocacy team has been formed to agitate for full governmental support,
education and behaviour change, proper integration of community and clinical
services, review most of the policies and ensure proper data collection in the
fight to ending the disease by 2030.
The counterpart funding from
Ghana government according to the Team was deeply inadequate which continued to
affect commodity supplies to centres responsible for persons living with the
epidemic.
Another critical issue expressed
by NAP+ Western Regional Chairman, Mr. Joseph Thompson was the frequent changes
in combinations for persons with the conditions with its associated chain
reactions on its victims.
He prayed that state commitment
to the fight would be renewed with the supply of appropriate and continued ART
therapy and prophylaxis to guarantee uninterrupted access to life-long
treatment.
It is possible to have HIV/AIDS
free generation when there is assured and uninterrupted access to life-long
treatment through the availability and accessibility of HIV commodities to end
AIDS epidemic by 2030.
GNA
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